Dr. Gingrich on US Support for Israel

Back in November of 2011, Hugh Hewitt (now an over-the-top Romney supporter) had this exchange with Newt concerning Iran’s potential nuclear capabilities:

HH: …If Israel acts to defend itself by striking at that capacity, what ought the president of the United States, either our current or our next one, to do on the day that strike happens?

NG: We should be supportive of the state of Israel. If the Israelis, having endured the Holocaust and the loss of seven million Jews in World War II, conclude that an Iranian nuclear weapon poses the threat of a second holocaust, because two nuclear weapons on Tel Aviv and Jerusalem would be the equivalent of a second holocaust. If they conclude that is a risk they cannot live with, we should respect their concern for survival. And I think that we should clearly indicate to the world that we would support whatever they think they have to do to survive [1].

Thank you Mr. Speaker for your clear, no-nonsense answer!

For those who don’t know, in November of 1947, the United Nations passed a resolution creating borders for an independent Jewish state within the region of Palestine. On May 14, 1948, David Ben-Gurion declared the establishment of the State of Israel. Minutes later, the United States under President Harry Truman became the first nation to officially recognize Israel’s existence. The United States and Israel have been and continue to be close allies.

Given our long and mutually beneficial association with Israel, it is only reasonable that we continue this relationship and offer whatever support is necessary to ensure Israel’s survival.

Dr. Gingrich does not play politics when it comes to our friends.

In his opinion, the current Administration is ignoring the danger to Israel from Iran’s weapons program, and may in fact be setting the stage for a nuclear confrontation [2].

Dr. Gingrich has also noted that the current Administration demands concessions from Israel in favor of Turkey, Egypt, and the Palestinians without requiring similar compromises from them [3], even though Hamas and others have declared their active intention is to destroy Israel [4].

In his March 6, 2012 address to AIPAC, Dr. Gingrich detailed his positions on Israel. As President of the United States, Dr. Gingrich would authorize moving the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, reform the State Department so that we follow a truly American policy when it comes to Israel, share intelligence on Iranian activities, provide needed equipment to Israel to help secure her borders and defend itself from external attack, and would not require Israel to notify us in advance of any actions it would take to protect itself and her people [5].

With so many people and nations intent on the annihilation of Israel, it is vital that we have a strong President with clear policies and an intimate understanding of historical conflicts in the Middle East. Dr. Gingrich is that man.